If you haven’t tried that approach, it is often recommended and may be helpful for you.ĭIM detoxes excess estrogen allowing estrogen and progesterone levels to come back into balance. While I tried taking progesterone (both natural cream and a stronger oral progesterone) and increasing magnesium to solve the problem, I didn’t find those solutions to be helpful. Losing progesterone during perimenopause results in changes to the brain and stress response system. Progesterone helps with sleep because it converts to a sedating neurosteroid which soothes GABA receptors in the brain. For me, the best solution has been to reduce or balance my estrogen. When progesterone decreases, as is often the case during perimenopause, estrogen may become dominant, not as well balanced by progesterone. In estrogen deficit, DIM actually increases estrogen activity. The former is a common symptom of menopause and the latter often a symptom of perimenopause.ĭIM doesn’t block estrogen (as is commonly understood). Interestingly, both estrogen deficiency and estrogen dominance have been linked to waking at 2 or 3 a.m. What I have found, is that my insomnia is related to estrogen dominance. Please read more below, too, about important lifestyle choices and co-factors necessary for DIM to be effective. DIM supports healthy estrogen ratios to prevent estrogen dominance. ) For this reason, DIM is prized by body builders, and can be helpful for men struggling with “man boobs”, those with extra weight they want to shed, as well as issues like acne (truly amazing results with acne!).ĭdiindolylmethane also works in the gut and liver to coordinate estrogen detox. (Therefore, DIM is a testosterone blocker and not an estrogen blocker. I discuss estrogen dominance more below.ĭIM also blocks the enzyme that converts testosterone into estrogen. Why would someone want less estrogen? Estrogen dominance is common in today’s world due to stress, factory meats and environmental toxins. When estriol occupies the estrogen receptor, it prevents estradiol’s strong “grow” signals. Estriol is considered a more desirable form of estrogen because it is less active than estradiol. ( source) How does DIM work?ĭIM causes the stronger form of estrogen (estradiol) to convert into the weaker form (estriol). DIM is found in vegetables like Brussels sprouts, broccoli, cauliflower and cabbage, but not in high enough doses to be helpful from eating the vegetables alone.Ĭlinical studies also have scientists excited about DIM’s effect on breast, cervical, colon, gastric, prostate and thyroid cancers - both in terms of prevention and treatment. I have found it very helpful myself.ĭIM (and its precursor I3C) supplements contain a component of cruciferous vegetables called diindolylmethane, which has been found to be beneficial in creating a healthy balance of estrogen and testosterone. Depending on the cause of one’s insomnia, DIM is now being used increasingly to solve the elusive sleep problem. DIM, short for diindolylmethane, is a supplement often used for hormone balancing. Often caused by hormonal imbalances - both elevated stress hormones and estrogen dominance - insomnia is a condition that plagues 1 in 3 Americans.

Dim supplement